Shirt package and blank for forming same



March 30;"195'4 N. H. RICHMAN 2573;667

SHIRT PACKAGE AND BLANK FOR FORMING SAME Filed Feb. 9, 1953 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Nurney H. Richman BY WHITEHEAD 8: IOGL PER 6 ATTORNEYS March 30, 1954 N,g, RI HMAN 2,673,667

SHIRT PACKAGE AND BLANK FOR FORMING SAME Filed Feb. 9. 1953 2"Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Nurney H. Richman BY W H|TEHEAD 8 VOGL PER WM ATTORNEYS Patented Mar.30, 1954 SHIRT PACKAGE AND BLANK FOR FORMING SAME Nurney H. Richman,Denver, Colo., assignor to Scientific Packages, Inc., Denver, 0010., acorporation of Colorado Application February 9, 1953, Serial No. 335,922

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shirt packaging devices for collar-attachedshirts and more particularly to that class of shirt packaging deviceswhich combine a shirt mounting board with a collar protector andsupport, an object of the invention being to provide a shirt package,including a shirt board and collar protector, with new and improvedmeans for interlocking the collar protector with the collar of a shirtmounted upon the board.

Other objects of this invention include the provision of a new andimproved blank for formation of a shirt package which: (a) combines, ina single piece of sheet material, a shirt board, a collar protector andmeans for interlocking the collar protector with the collar of a shirtmounted upon the board; (b) combines in the collar protector a paneladapted to cover the collar, a supporting rim adapted to space the panelabove the collar and to hold the collar in erect circular shape, and atab adapted to interlock the panel and collar at the throat of thecollar; (0) combines the panel, support rim and tab of the collarprotector into a compact arrangement by forming the rim as acontinuation of the panel and the tab as a pull-out element in the faceof the panel; ((2) combines in the tab a series of foldable members withone member adapted to move into the throat of the collar for engagementtherewith and the other members adapted to swing upon the panel tocomplete the interlocking operation; (e) provides an arrangement ofelements which permits the interlocking of thecollar protector with thecollar by a few quick, simple movements; and (f) is inexpensive, adaptedto be easily packaged for storage and shipment and compact and neatappearing with a shirt mounted and packaged thereon.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fullyhereinafter appear, my invention comprises certain novel constructions,arrangements and combinations of elements and parts as hereinafterdescribed and as defined in the appended claims and illustrated, inpreferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a piece of sheet material.

cut and scored toform a blank for my'improved shirt package.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the shirt package formed from the blankillustrated at Fig. 1 and containing a folded shirt.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section as viewed from the indicatedline 3-3 at Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section as viewed from the indicated line 4-4at Fig. 3.

Figures 5 to 9 inclusive are isometric views of the shirt package with afolded shirt mounted upon the board portion thereof and illustratingserially the steps taken in completing the package after the collarprotector has been positioned over the collar.

Referring to Fig. I of the drawing, the blank II] of my improved shirtpackage is formed from a rectangular sheet of fibrous material such ascardboard. Such cardboard must be of such weight and rigidity as tosupport a folded shirt S thereon, yet be so cheap in cost that it may bethrown away when the shirt S is ready for use. It is to be noted thatthe generally rectangular form of the blank II], with all elements ofthe package lying in a single plane therein, renders it especiallysuitable for packaging for shipment and storage prior to use in formingthe hirt package.

One end of this blank Ill forms the shirt mounting board II while theother end includes the elements which form the collar protector I2.These end portions are separated by a transverse crease line I3, and itis contemplated that the collar protector I2 will be folded upwardlyfrom the board II after the shirt S is folded upon or around the boardwith its collar C adjacent the protector I2.

The collar protector I2 is subdivided into a rear wall I4 adjacent theboard II, a cover panel I5 and a support strip I6. The rear wall I4 isbounded by the crease line I3 at one side and a parallel crease line I!at the opposite side, the spacing between the transverse lines I3 and ITbeing such that the panel I5 may be folded over the collar to lie overthe top edge of the collar C in spacedparallelism with the board I i, asclearly shown at Fig. 5.

The cover panel I5 extends over the collar C from the crease line I1 atthe back of the collar and forwardly to the collar throat T. The boardII is rectangular in shape, while the sides of the collar protector I2incline inwardly from crease line I3 and its corners are bevelled as atI8 to eliminate unnecessary material and to improve the appearance ofthe unit when folded over a collar.

A strip I 9 is. formed at each lateral edge of collar protector I2between its edges and crease lines 20 which form triangles with the sideedges of protector I2 as the bases and the apexes at crease line I1, andthis strip is folded downwardly and inwardly-to rigi'dify back wall I4and the panel I5 against warping or buckling when the panel is foldedover the collar. Each crease line 20 extends from the bevel l8 to thetransverse crease line I! and thence to crease line |3 at the lateraledge of the blank to permit a downward and inward fold, as illustratedat Fig. 2, without tearing the material forming the blank.

The support strip I6 is formed as a transversely disposed, approximatelyisosceles, trapezoid having inwardly curving top and bottom edges, theapex edge 2| being centrally connected to the center of the forwardtransverse edge of the panel l5. The adjacent edges of the panel andstrip at each side of the point of connection are cut apart, and acrease line 22 spans the connective center portion. This constructionpermits the strip It to be folded downwardly from th panel l5 when thepanel is positioned over a collar C and the extended edges of the stripis are turned inwardly from each sid of the central creased line 22portion so that the strip is positioned as an arch around and bearingagainst the inner face of the neckband of the collar C, as clearlyindicated at Figs. 3 and 6 and by the broken line at Fig. 5.

The height of the strip Hi, from the outer base edge 23 to the apex edge2|, is such that at the wider portions thereof, the base edge will bearagainst the surface of the board through the folds of the shirt foldedthereon, and th apex edge 2| will bear against the underside of thepanel 5 with the panel folded over the shirt collar. The arch of thisstrip against the collar neckband prevents it from buckling, andtherefore, it will hold the panel in position against forces which wouldotherwise crush the collar of the shirt.

A tab 2-l, composed of foldable segments, is formed in the center of thepanel l5 by having its outline cut in the blank l0, and it is adapted tobe lifted from the panel |5 when the panel is positioned over the shirtcollar. The tab 24 segments are then folded into the collar and over thepanel to lock the panel to the collar by the steps clearly illustratedin Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive and at Fig. 2, and now to be described.

This tab 24 is shaped as approximately an isosceles trapezoid having itsvertical axis longitudinally centered upon the blank and its base 25spaced from and substantially parallel with the transverse crease lineH. The side legs 26 of tab 24 converge toward the central connectionbetween the panel l5 and strip |5 and each leg crosses the short creaseline 22 and terminates at an apex defined by a crease line 21 within thestrip IS, a short space from and parallel with the crease line 22. Thecut outline of the tab. about the base 25 and legs 26, permit it to belifted from the panel l5, yet remain connected to the blank at the apexcrease line 21, at a level Slightly below the surface of the panel IS,with the support strip I6 folded under the panel and inside the collar,the crease line 21 being at the top of the throat of the collar.

The tab 25 is divided into three interconnected segments, each in theform approximately of an The base segment 28 is separatedfl'gm th nftermediate segment 29 by a pair of transverse cuts 3|. Each cut extendsfrom a side leg 26 to a point near the center of the segments and thereturns downwardly into the body of the base segment 28 to define a shortconnecting strip 32. This strip is terminated by a crease line 33 in thebody of the base segment. The intermediate segment 29 is separated fromthe apex segment 30 by a similar pair of transverse cuts 34, each ofwhich extends from a side leg 26 to a point near the center of thesegments and there turns downwardly into the body of the intermediatesegment to form an interconnecting strip 35 with a terminating creaseline 36 at the bottom of this strip within the body of the intermediatesegment.

The outline of the tab about the base 25 and legs 26 is formed by aconventional stamping or cutting operation which will completely outthrough blank ||l about the base and legs except at selected spots 31which will hold the tab in position within the plane of the blank whenthe blank is not in use, but which are easily torn to permit the body ofthe tab to be separated from the panel. Two opposing pairs of spots 3'!are positioned on the tabs on the legs 26, one pair being located nearthe base of the base segment and the other pair being located near butabove the center of the intermediate segment and aligned with creaseline36. The operation of removing the tab from the panel is simplified bysuch location of the spots, for with the panel l5 positioned over thecollar and with the support strip |6 arched inside the collar neckbandunderneath the panel as illustrated at Fig. 5, it is necessary to merelypress on segment 29 adjacent line 3| to separate the edges of segments28 and 29 along line 3|, grasp the edge of seement 28 and draw segment28 toward the front thust breaking the spots 31 with the parts in position as illustrated at Fig. 7.

When so lifted above the panel, the base segment 28 is carried forwardlyto the front of the collar at the base of the throat. This movementrotates the intermediate segment 29 with the interconnecting strip 32underneath the base segment, all as clearly shown by broken lines atFig. 7. The next movement is to bring each side portion of the basesegment underneath a wing of the collar and at the same time move theintermediate segment 29 upwardly and over the panel with theinterconnecting strip 32 remaining behind the base segment 28 as clearlyshown at Fig. 8. The approximately arched shape of the base line ofsegment 28 materially aids in fitting that segment beneath the collarwings. As the intermediate segment 29 moves upwardly, it folds againstthe apex segment 30 in a manner which jams the underside of the panel |5against the top of the collar, with the base segment locked between thecollar wings and neckband. As a final step the intermediate segment andapex segment are swung over the top of the panel and bent about a creaseline 38 at the top of the strip 32 and through the opening formed by thetab cut-out. This opening narrows near its apex so that the sides of theintermediate segment must be folded toward each other to be pushedthrough opening, as clearly illustrated at Fig. 9. The final stepillustrated at Fig. 2 is accomplished by the sides of the intermediatesegment spreading, when they are positioned underneath the panel. thuslocking them into position against the panel and thereby completing thelocking Of the entire package. The arcuate formation of base line 3| ofsegment 29, operatively combines with the narrowing edges of the open-:

ing in the panel to facilitate this final locking operation.

While I have illustrated and described many details of construction,alternatives and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the artwhich are within the scope and spirit of my invention; hence it is mydesire that my protection be not limited to the details hereinillustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A blank for formation of a protective package for a collar-attached,laundered shirt, including a sheet of cardboard-like material divided bytransverse, parallel fold lines into a substantially rectangularshirt-mounting board, a collar-backing segment and a collar-overlyingpanel, a tabcut from the central portion of said pane1 and narrowing toan apex at the outer end of the blank and adapted to normally lie in theplane of said panel but adapted to be lifted therefrom and thereby leavea tab-shaped orifice in. said panel, said tab being cut into threetransverse segments centrally inter-connected in tandem and connected tothe panel at the tab apex, whereby when said panel is folded over theshirt collar the tab may be lifted from said panel and the threesegments may be folded respectively, alternately, beneath the collarwings adjacent the outer face of the collar neckb and and through saidorifice and within the collar neckband to support the panel above andlock it to the collar.

2. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein the tabs longitudinal axis iscoincident with the longitudinal axis of the blank.

3. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein the apex end of the tab andorifice is spaced from the collar backing segment a distance equal tothat from the back of the collar to its throat and is thereby adapted tolie adjacent the throat of the collar when the panel is folded over thecollar.

4. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein the base of the tab is centrallycurved inwardly of the tab.

5. The blank denned in claim 1 wherein the lines cutting the tab fromthe panel are broken, leaving spots of the panel material normallyconnecting the tab to the panel.

6. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein there is a transverse supportstrip connected to the tab apex and the outer end of the panel.

'7. The blank defined in claim 6 wherein the support strip isapproximately isosceles trapezoidal with its end portions wider than itscenter portion, said end portions being at least as wide as the heightof the collar neck band.

8. The blank defined in claim 1 wherein said tab is formed as a group ofisosceles trapezoids having their outer edges in continuous lines.

9. In combination with a shirt package of cardboard like material havinga fiat shirtmounting board and a collar protector extending from an endof the board and folded upwardly therefrom and over the collar of ashirt mounted upon the board; an orifice in the collar protector havinga narrowed portion at the throat of the collar and a segmented tabhingedly extending from the collar protector at said throat portionincluding an apex segment attached to the collar protector, anintermediate segment attached to the apex segment and a base segmentattached to the intermediate segment, said base segment including sideportions at each side of said point of attachment which are adapted forinsertion under the collar at each side of the throat while theintermediate and apex segments are folded together above the protector,said intermediate segment including side portions which are wider thansaid narrowed orifice portion the intermediate and apex segments beingfolded rearwardly over the collar protector and downwardly through theorifice and thereby locking the protector to the throat of the collar.

NURNEY H. RICI-IMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,568,843 Bartholome Sept. 25, 1951 2,604,256 Whitehead July22, 1952

